Baker County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.3 | 2,743 people · 81st most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Baker County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.2 — 424th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 81st of 159 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Baker County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 89.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 74.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 53
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Economic Vitality 61.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 17.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 9
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 58

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Baker County
Baker County, GA 69.3 Serious —
Mitchell County, GA 87.7 Crisis +18.4
Dougherty County, GA 87.3 Crisis +18.0
Decatur County, GA 78.7 Serious +9.5
Early County, GA 77.9 Serious +8.7
Miller County, GA 73.4 Serious +4.2
Calhoun County, GA 71.9 Serious +2.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Baker County
Claiborne County, MS 69.2 Serious -0.0
Jones County, NC 69.1 Serious -0.1
Treutlen County, GA 69.5 Serious +0.3
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious -0.3
Foard County, TX 69.5 Serious +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Baker County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Baker County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Baker County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Georgia →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Baker County, Georgia?

    Baker County has a County Distress Index score of 69.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 424th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 81st in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Baker County?

    The primary driver of distress in Baker County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Baker County compare to neighboring counties?

    Baker County (69.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mitchell County, GA (87.7); Dougherty County, GA (87.3); Decatur County, GA (78.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Baker County's score of 69.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Baker County's CDI score?

    Baker County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Baker County?

    Baker County, Georgia has a population of approximately 2,743 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.